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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24129571">The Handsomest Man</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChillyHollow/pseuds/ChillyHollow'>ChillyHollow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Restaurants</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 16:40:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>526</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24129571</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChillyHollow/pseuds/ChillyHollow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Clean cut in his suit and tie, he was —as usual— the handsomest man in the room.”  <br/>from The Silkworm</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Matthew Cunliffe/Robin Ellacott, Robin Ellacott/Cormoran Strike</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Handsomest Man</h2></a>
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    <p>He didn’t want to be here, but Robin had insisted that he meet her new boss.He didn’t like Strike already since he was fifteen minutes late.Plus Matthew didn’t like the sound of the whole thing.A one man office, a dodgy profession, and Robin was dazzled by the guy.She was so naive. </p><p>When Strike finally arrived, he looked like he’d been changing a tire.Matthew’d expected someone more flashy, frankly.After all, his father was allegedly a famous rock star with money to burn. However, he was more imposing than Matthew had bargained for.Normally Matthew was the tallest guy in the room but this man was a good two or three inches taller and much broader.Besides being large, Robin’s new boss had curly hair that needed a good trim and a nose that had definitely been broken. Matthew noticed that women in the pub checked him out despite his looks and the untidy clothes.Of course Robin didn’t, they were engaged after all, but the attention this stranger drew from the women around them made him uneasy.</p><p>So to cover his nervousness he started talking about himself, his job, rugby, anything to get him past the uncertainty.Strike was courteous, he’d give him that, and didn’t say much. Not much of a people person.Matthew didn’t know if he was relieved or anxious that Strike said he didn’t have a girlfriend and hadn’t “for a while now.”At least he listened carefully as Matthew talked and asked suitable questions about Matthew’s job and clients.Matthew was always happy to talk about himself.He explained the fine points of the rugby match he’d just seen, bragged about all his accounting clients, talked about the real estate market, and of course where he and Robin were looking to buy a flat. </p><p>The food came and they ate in silence until Matthew pronounced it pretty good, “although it’s not the Mango Tree,” and then was able to explain that the Mango Tree was the top Thai restaurant in Belgravia.Strike had never heard of it.Robin went to get them drinks, and in desperation Matthew asked Strike if he was ex-Army?Strike answered he’d been SIB, but Matthew had no idea what that was and wasn’t about to ask.Instead he talked about his father who was ex-RAF. </p><p>Strike nodded but asked no questions.Perhaps he wasn’t knowledgeable about the Northern Yorkshire property market which Matthew’s father certainly was.Matthew felt a little better.Robin returned with their drinks and asked her boss about his afternoon.The answer was pretty vague:he’d gone to meet a man.It didn’t sound very exciting.He had no idea why Robin liked this job or this guy.It didn’t make sense.But at least he was no threat.He was just some guy with a job that probably barely covered the rent. </p><p>So why did Matthew feel so nervous and small?Why was that cute redhead at the next table checking Strike out?Why did Robin like this guy?Why did he—Matthew—care?He’d always been the handsomest guy in the room.He still was. Right?</p>
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